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Phoenix's Glory: Flaming Avenger
Homecoming Akane was sitting on Yuri's lap, her arms around her with a pleasantly content look on her face. "Hey Onee-chan! Isn't Tou-san back yet???" "..." Michiyo looked up with a rather annoyed glare from the book she was reading, a vein popping on her head. "Like I know." She replied coolly, returning to looking at her book once more. "It's not like I sent a Phoenix after him or anything." Akane glared. "You saw him when he left you should know!" Yuri sighed. "Akane, it's only been what, a month and a half? Maybe he thinks that isn't sufficient enough training time." "'Sides, I have more important things to worry about." Michiyo added, shutting her book after reading what looked like an entire chapter. "Like the Iwagakure incident..." "It's not even our village." Akane replied. "Why bother? Isn't that the Hokage's concern anyway?" "That's not the problem. Apparently, the power went to those rebel's heads over there..." The elder sister set down her book and sat straighter. "Their using the Stone-nin to advance on the smaller and surrounding areas. The villages near there are getting nervous now..." She pressed a hand to her palm. "Such an act would be considered expansion of a growing empire, and a dictatorship at best. It's only reasonable to be cautious about it. Otherwise... it might start to spread into Konoha." Before Akane could reply, the door opened and the morning sunlight burst in. When the initial glare faded, the silhouette of the person standing there revealed it to be Ahatake. He was rather scraped and looked exhausted, but also looked rather impressive with the giant cleaver blade on his back. "Yo!" He said grinning. "T-TOU-SAN!" Akane exclaimed. "Kurosaki-san, welcome back." Eyes widening, Michiyo snapped her head to look over at the figure of her father, but they immediately lidded. The smile re-appeared on her face. "Glad to see you're alive, Tou-san. How was it?" "Hell." Ahatake said shortly as his daughter ran to hug him. "Tou-san's training is murder." "Heh..." Michiyo chuckled, her eyes falling on the gleaming blade. "Still, that big old butcher knife must be a big benefit, don't you think?" Ahatake grinned. "You bet it is." He held it up, the black cloth that it was kept in falling off, revealing a white blade with a black edge. "It's large enough to function as a shield, while functioning as a weapon. Tou-san crafted it himself." "And it only took a month? He must be quite the black-smith." "Hm? Oh no." Ahatake said, wrapping the blade back in it's cloth. "He's always had this. He's meant to give it to me for awhile, but he's never around." Ahatake sighed. "It's the reason you two have never met him." "Oh..." The elder daughter nodded in understanding, folding her arms across her chest. "Well, you're going to need it, then." She said softly. "There's been a rebellion in Iwagakure, and its influence is spreading to other villages. It's becoming quite a threat very quickly." Ahatake sighed. "I'll let you handle that." He sighed and looked around. "Y..Yuri?!? Why are you still here? I don't want to sound rude but don't you have your own house and family?" "Um...well.." Yuri looked nervous. "I do have my own house..but..my family is dead." Immediately, there was a silence that fell amongst the family, before Michiyo decided to break it. "....what killed them?" She questioned softly, eyes turning towards the girl in question. "I've no idea." Yuri replied. "I wasn't at the house at the time. I had been out buying groceries and when I came back they were dead. Blood splattered over the floor and sword wounds on their bodies." That made Michiyo silent once more, words having been trapped in her mouth before she could say them. "Anyway, you move on." Yuri replied and she sat down on the couch. "I think of you all as my family now. And when I marry Akane it'll be official." Akane grinned and Ahatake smiled. "Well, seeing how much you stay around here, you're as good as family now kid." The tension was immediately washed away, and Michiyo breathed heavily, sitting back down in her chair. "So, Tou-san..." She said in a manner of curiosity, even as she picked back up her book. "What do you plan on doing now that you have these newfound abilities? Planning to look for the Spetsnaz?" "Of course." Ahatake replied. "I intend to kill Tenko this time around." "Of course..." Now, normally Michiyo would've had her doubts of her father rushing into combat like before. But, now, she could feel his stronger chakra seep into the room, her senses having picked it up. The fact that he was carrying a large weapon around with such ease gave away the increase of his physical performance. He might have a chance. "That works perfectly, then!" Clapping her hands together, Michiyo smiled cheerfully. "Because I've got an idea of where they're hiding!" Ahatake grinned. though this good mood was immediately marred by the entrance of his sister. "HI ONII-SAN!" Her voice rang shrill and strong. "Oh damn..." Ahatake thought. "Hry, Auntie!" Despite her cheerful greeting, Michiyo had her own ears covered, her mirthful expression slightly pained. "So good to hear your voice again..." "Easy for you to say." Ahatake growled. Akane walked up to Ahatake. "Onii-san, you smell like Tou-san. You been spending time with him?" "Yeah." Ahatake sighed. "I've been training. Anyway, Michiyo I'm ready when you are." "All right..." For amoment, Michiyo slid her palms together, smile still plastered on her face. Then, reaching into her back pocket, she whipped out a map and opened it up, revealing the world continents. "So, the majority of Spetsnaz activity has been centered in the Leaf village, right? Well, upon further evidence..." Her finger pointed somewhere out of Konoha. "...there is an abandoned safehouse that has been used in the past. That's where they'll all be located, waiting for us to storm in." "So you think they're expecting us to barge in on them?" Ahatake asked. "No doubt. Tenko's not an idiot, after all." "If they're expecting us, then they could have traps littered around the place." Akiko pointed out. "That's where Shadow Clones would come in." Ahatake said. "Shadow Clones are perfect bait." "Right..." Michiyo nodded, closing the map via roll-up. "Though, we have to be careful. If there's some kind of surveillance keeping track, we'll need to avoid and or disable it if necessary. Don't want to attract attention without realizing it..." Ahatake sighed. "What I hate is that we'll have to progress the slow way. The whole "we-need-to-be-cautious" mess. But I'd rather be cautious and progress slowly, than blast the place apart and get killed." He stood up. "Are you all ready to go now or do you need to get ready?" "I'm good to go." Akiko said blinking once and her eyes became red with cat-like slits for pupils. Immediately, Michiyo folded her arms across her chest and gave a smirk. "I'll definitely be there. We're not missing this for anything." "I'm sitting this one out." Akane said meekly. Immediately, Michiyo gave an incredulous look in her direction. "What? You've got to be kidding!" She exclaimed. "What was the use of all of that training if you're just going to ba--" Then, she stopped herself. She raised her eyebrow and smirked. "Don't tell me you're scared now..." She guessed. Akane scowled. "I just feel like sitting this one out. Besides, you all are stronger than me. What use would I be?" She wrapped her arm around Yuri's shoulder. "Imma stay here with Yue." "Oh, so you wanna let us risk our lives so you can stay here and do the nasty with Yuri. Is that it?" "Don't get mad at me 'cuz you aint got someone to do it with." Akane scowled. "Not my fault no guy around Konoha wants you." She stuck out her tongue and blew a loud raspberry. Michiyo merely rolled her eyes. "Right..." She turned towards Ahatake, shrugging her shoulders. "I guess that's it, then. Let's move out, shall we?" She felt a little regretful of her words; it sounded as if she was bossing her father around. Ahatake sighed. "Akane, I agree with your staying out of this. I don't need my youngest daughter dying. And yes Michiyo, let's go." "Come back alive you three!" Infiltration It had taken a few hours in order to pin-point and arrive at the exact location. In order for stealth to work, they had to settle in at the outskirts, in order to avoid immediate detection. Now, they were scouting through the woods, only 100 meters from their position. Despite the number, it wasn't very far. But despite that, even as they walked, they kept a close eye out for any traps. "Should we use Shadow Clones now?" Akiko asked. "No." Michiyo instructed. "At this point, we're too close to use any chakra. They'll sense us in a heartbeat. Just have to rely o--" Abruptly, her order was stopped mid-sentence, her eyes having caught a rustle in the treetops. Her eyes widened considerably, and her body tensed slightly. Ahatake looked up, but he didn't see anything. Was it just a bird? That notion would instantly be erased. What stood at one of the branches was a lone figure, dressed in a purple, spec-ops outfit. At one of the high branches, he stood calmly, arms folded across his chest, and intense eyes looking down on the group. Despite the fact that his katana was secured to his side, he didn't look as if he was aiming to reach for it anytime soon. However, it was obvious he wasn't an ally. Ahatake and Akiko's eyes widened at the sight of the man. "Who are you?" Ahatake asked, and Akiko scowled at him. She wasn't a fan of strange people in strange outfits. But the man remained silent. However, he did nod his head to the left - the direction they were facing. The motion made Michiyo frown slightly, folding her arms across her own chest. "I think he's directing us towards the safehouse..." She guessed. "Guess we should go there." Ahatake said. "What can it possibly hurt?" He took off in that same direction, Akiko following him on all fours. As they neared, there were two more, hanging out on a tree branch. One was in the same position as the first, while the other had taken to sitting on the branch. Slowly, Michiyo was coming to a realization, even as she followed close behind. "They're scouting us!" "What?!?" Ahatake growled. "Are you sure?" "Yeah. Tenko was prepared for us, all right. I bet they're grasping a feel of the chakras we're exuding right now. Question is... why are they guiding us?" Michiyo's eyes caught another pair observing. "Tenko's decided he wants to exterminate us now." Akiko guess, still running like a dog. "Can we kill these lot?" "I wouldn't risk it. Look at the way they're standing. They're acting as if they're on break or something... none of 'em's moving without apprehension or fear. They've been informed of us... but they're too relaxed. Attack 'em, and it'll most likely be a trap. Besides..." Michiyo's eyes finally fell on a massive, feudal-like temple. Parts of it were patrolled by the same ninja, who were waiting for their arrival just as the previous ones did. "Our goal here is the Spetsnaz... not them." Akiko scowled. "Buzzkill." She growled. "I wanna cut loose." Ahatake smiled. "You'll get your chance. These people have done nothing to us. You can fight your precious Yumi. Michiyo, I'll give you Okita free of charge. Tenko is mine." He clenched his blade. The elder daughter looked over at him. "What about the Shiromura?" "Oh yeah Rice boy.." Ahatake murmured. "Let's just hope he's off duty." On cue, one of the ninja appeared in front of them and pushed the doors open, stepping aside in order to allow them to pass. Without hesitation, Michiyo stepped in first. "What no red carpet?" Ahatake asked sarcastically as he entered and Akiko after him, she became bipedal again. Reunion: Final Confrontation They soon reached one of the sub-rooms that was connected via a series of hallways to the main room. There was a single shinobi that greeted them, a smile on his face, and squinted eyes. The Soujirou who had personally ended Chiaki's life. The one who had slaughtered the Tenno leader's teammates. The one to have nearly killed a daughter and a sister. Okita. Flanking him were two ninja, acting as bodyguards. This time, they didn't appear so willing to step aside, hands on the hilt of their katanas. In acknowledgement, Okita bowed his head. "So glad you could make it, Tenno..." "Always the creepy smile and formalities." Ahatake sighed. "Soujirou, I'm not here for you." "That's fine." Okita replied calmly. "Though, I'm afraid Tenko-sama won't' just let you in just like that. You see, when he prepared for your arrival, he secured a lock combination just for the group of you. The doors to his room won't be unlocked until you defeat the subordinates." He nodded his head towards another door. "Yumi's waiting in the room parallel to ours. As of Gohan, I'm not sure where he is..." Ahatake put a hand to his forehead for a moment, as Akiko walked towards Yumi's room. "Maybe I will take you on." Ahatake said as he reached for his blade. "If we have to defeat the subordinates, beating the crap out of you will be just the warm-up I need. Michiyo, you go find Gohan." "And a change in plans..." Michiyo said dryly, pushing open the door that led into the hallway. "Try not to get yourself killed, k?" The door shut promptly, and the sounds of running footsteps could be heard getting fainter and fainter. Ahatake swung his blade from over his back to his side, the cloth unwrapping from around it and whipping around him. As he tittled his head his neck made a cracking noise. "You ready?" Okita vs Ahatake "When you are." Okita confirmed, hand slowly drawing out his sword. His eyes fell, widening upon the sight of the new blade. "Though, I have to ask: have you been smithing? That blade looks surprisingly elegant..." "No, Tou-san made this for me a long time ago." Ahatake replied. "I just got it about half a month ago. With it's I've been learning proper Kenjutsu." "I get it..." Okita commented, eyes opening to a half-lidded position. "Your injuries pushed you to train more. Good thing I was prepared for this type of situation..." They opened a bit more. "Tell me, Tenno-sama. Have you heard of shukuchi before?" "Hm?" Ahatake looked puzzled for a moment. "Shukuchi? Rapid Movement?" "Yes. But, in cases such as mine, it is also known as godspeed." Okita lowered his blade to the side. "Such speed is impossible to detect by the human eyes alone, and when used to its full extent, you are practically a ghost. All the times we've fought up to this point, you've been able to read my moves..." He nodded slightly, as if to acknowledge something. "It would be obvious that I haven't used the full power of shukuchi." He finished. Ahatake's eyes widened. "What..y..you're not serious are you?" "I'm always serious to my opponents, Tenno-sama." Okita replied, raising up a hand and sticking up three fingers. "Three steps below the true shukuchi is what I've been demonstrating. Since you've managed to survive both times, I can finally show my true potential." Then, he gripped his blade with one hand. "Now... two steps." FWOOM! Now, a step up from his speed, his body seemed to appear everywhere, his movements considerably faster than before. Only bits of his figure seemed to appear, but they were at random intervals, not in a certain path anymore. Now, it was like fighting a robot. Then, he was behind! SLASH! Blood spurted from teh various slash wounds left by Okita's sword, and it forced Ahatake's eyes open wide. "What..what the hell??" "Like it?" Okita questioned politely, his figure re-appearing a ways off from his opponent, blood dripping from the blade of his sword. "Two steps before shukuchi. Only two more steps before I show my true speed... but, it seems you just haven't gotten used to two-steps yet. I guess I'll have to stick to it a little more." Once again, his figure vanished. Where he stepped at, burst of wind seemed to partially rip up the tiles on the ceiling and floor. Off to the side of Ahatake, a fissure-like wave of wind came rushing at him, tearing a ditch. "Hell.." Ahatake pressed his hand to the ground. "..No!" He finished, pushing himself into the air with just one arm. He launched a flash bomb into the air and quickly shielded his own eyes. "Flash bang!" Immediately, his eyes widened upon seeing it. His eyes quickly shut, and his body abruplty stopped. As the light began to fade, Ahatake clenched his blade. "Kenjutsu: Flame Ring!" Ahatake's cleaver blade ignited in a brilliant flash of red and orange and he swung it through the air, creating a swirling vortex of fire around Soujirou. The blazing fire was immediate to Okita's vision once he opened his eyes once more, though they widened immediately. The flames' heat licked at his skin, and he knew it was only a while before he would burn. He sprung into action, pulling one foot back and one foot forward. "Heavenly Shield." Then, his feet rocketed off, and his shielded body tore through the cyclone. However, it managed to blow through the ceiling, leaving a gaping hole to the upper levels and sky. Ahatake scowled as his torrent of flame was destroyed. "Well that was a waste if chakra.." Yumi vs Akiko Akiko opened the door. "Hey Yumi you in here?!?!?" The room she was currently in was a room of black. Other than a white floor, the walls were covered in darkness, giving the illusion of it being limitless in size. And right in front of her was Yumi, hands clasped in front of her, and a kunai knife in her hand. "Akiko..." She said calmly, eyes slightly narrowed. "So he decided to let you all in..." Akiko's red eyes scanned the room. "Odd place this is. And yeah he let us in." Slowly, Yumi closed her eyes, brows furrowing. "It doesn't matter." She stated coolly, retracting her hands to her side. "Even if you beat me, none of you will get past Tenko-sama." Akiko licked her claws. "We won't. But Onii-san will." Yumi's narrowed eyes widened at the notion, and slight disgust sent a chill down her spine. This girl was looking for blood. Unconsciously, her grip on the kunai tightened, wary of what her enemy might do next. Akiko sighed. "Ya know, I don't really intend to fight you Yumi." She said, looking around the room again. "That's too bad. I'm feeling the opposite way..." With that seemingly cold statement, she raised the kunai in her hand and swung it around her finger. Yumi's eyes narrowed again in slight concentration. Akiko's eyes closed for a moment and whisker like marks formed on her cheeks. "If that's the case.." She said, as he claws and canines lengthened slightly. She settled into a stance that slightly resembled that of Chinese Martial Arts. "Then come." She looked determined. "As you wish!" With a single step, Yumi threw herself at Akiko, kunai knife in hand. When she closed the gap, she swung her kunai upward in a backhanded uppercut. "Not a chance!" Akiko grinned and she swung her own hand at the Kunai, her claws clashing against the blade. Relying on her Spetsnaz training, Yumi immediately ducked downward in a 360-degree spin, using the claws as a hold to get under her opponent's exposed guard. While in her spin, she swung her leg upward in the direction of the neck side. Akiko quickly moved her head to the side, avoiding the intended blow, and jumping back. "I doubt I'll be able to really fight her.." Akiko thought. "I really don't want to have to hurt her..though she obviously wants to hurt me!" Immediately, when her feet landed on the ground, she executed a set of hand seals. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique." The deadly ball of flame erupted from her lips and headed towards the retreating form of Akane. Akane inhaled and then exhaled in a loud roar splitting straight through the fireball. A shocked Yumi could only raise one arm to shield herself, the resulting winds having hit her face and temporarily blinding her. "C...can't see..." She thought, her heart pumping hard in her chest. She dashed towards Yumi and sank her fist into the girl's gut. She didn't stop there however, and performed a barrage on punches on the afflicted area and kicked her chin so she flew up into the air. The first blow to the gut, Yumi was able to hold. Though one of her eyes shut, it was clear that she had not lost her focus. However, despite her training to resistance, the volley of blows that followed to the same area were anything but kind. Her pupils shrank, and a short spray of crimson liquid escaped her mouth. Then, the flying kick that sent her away propelled her back. She struggled to catch herself, flipping in mid-air and landing in a crouched position. Her breaths were gasping now, even as she abruptly stood up and readied herself once more. Akiko licked some up the blood that landed on her face off with her tongue. "Delicious.." She thought, and quickly formed hand seals. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" She expelled red flames, enhanced by Jinchuriki power, at Yumi. Gritting her teeth, Yumi knew that her normal Fireball wouldn't do against Akane's attack. Acting quickly, the raven-haired girl jumped to the side, the fireball whizzing past her. But, immediately afterwards, she threw out from her pocket a small bomb, blue in color. A flash bomb. BANG! "Aw shit! Akiko shielded her eyes from the light. Once again, only a second. And in that second, Yumi had ran behind the girl, ripping off her trenchcoat and holding the ends with both hands. With precision and quick speed, she had wrapped it around her opponent's neck, lifted her into the air, and started pulling on the ends. The heavy piece of cloth started to close in, threatening to crush the neck in half. Fox Skin Akiko was choking. She scratched at the trenchcoat around her neck. "Damn it!" Even as she pulled, Yumi's exerting voice was soft. "I'm sorry to do this... I really am. Had we met under different circumstances, we could've been good friends. But, as it is, the fates require me to kill you. I can only hope..." She could hear the distinct sound of bones popping. "...you can never forgive me." "Chakra..." Akiko thought. "I...need chakra..." A bubbling noise was heard and red chakra began to surround her. "Hm?" There was a glance of surprise and curiosity on her face. Slowly, she felt the trenchcoat fabric give way to the intense heat, smelling the stench of cloth burning. She had little time to pull back before the coat was split in two. She jumped back, landing a distance away. "What is this?" She wondered, standing up once more to gaze upon the shield. Akiko's neck began to heal as the Demon Foxes Cloak began to envelop her. She hissed. "We probably could have been friends.." She said, getting down on all fours, resembling a fox to run. "But I'd still want you to be my friend anyway.." Sweat started to fall down Yumi's face. Slowly, she stepped back, clenching her fists in an attempt to ready herself. "This chakra... it's just like Tenko-sama's!" She thought, eyes widening. "Looks like there's not much of a choice... I'm going to have to use it''..." She clapped her palms together, eyes narrowed at Akiko's form. "I really don't want to fight you.." There was sadness in Akiko's voice. "But I don't think you'd just let me pass would you?" "Shut up." Yumi's voice was indignant as it came out, obviously offended by such a tone. "I'' placed that seal to Tenko-sama's room myself. The only way you can undo it is by killing me and Okita! That is, if your onii-san wishes to fight him..." Akiko was silent for a moment. '"What is it about me you find so repulsive?"' She asked. "...." A flicker of surprise flashed in Yumi's eyes, but other than that, she held her composure. "I don't." She replied shortly. '"You don't seem to like me at all."' Akiko replied. '"So there must be something."' "You're my enemy. Why would I show compassion or kindness towards someone that's fighting me right now?" She questioned, her frown deepening a bit. "Battles aren't supposed to have such feelings. Both opponents should only focus on killing the other person. That's the way it was, and will always will be." Akiko sighed. '"And I thought you didn't condone violence."' She wrenched her arm back and fired a large red chakra arm at Yumi. "Seal....activate." It took only seconds for the chakra arm to reach her. But it stopped inches from its target, the fingers unable to reach further. There was a glow on the Tenno's back; one created a month ago. Its glow was brilliant, and the entire body of Akiko seemed to glow for a brief moment. Then, her back tore itself open, allowing a new amount of blood to spill onto the floor. "Apparently, you forgot about that confrontation." Yumi stated firmly. "When I placed my hand on your back that day, it was to restrain you in order to make you keep your end of the deal. I would've activated it, but Tenko-sama wouldn't allow it. So I picked this very moment, where it was necessary." Akiko roared in pain, sending waves of chakra everywhere. ''"Damn!" She thought, the blood pouring from her back. Spreading her feet out, Yumi crouched a little and braced herself against the chakra winds, hair whipping behind her. Akiko's back wounds began to heal though, and she hissed. The bubbling noise resumed and she began to grow a second tail. "I won't kill you Yumi." Akiko said. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did. But I will knock you unconscious." Yumi growled, angered at the declaration. "You have no choice!" She shouted. "Do you really think allowing a rogue ninja like me to keep her life is a smart decision?! I'll just keep on doing what I do best!" Her fists clenched once more. "You're not a bad person Yumi." Akiko replied. "It's just a feeling I get. But seeing as we can't have you around when Onii-san kills Foxy Loxy.." Massive Chakra began to swirl around her, and a orb began to form in front of her. "What...?!" Once again, Yumi's pupils shrank, but this time of of fear. Her nerves were starting to rattle, affected by the intense chakra around the room. She could only bring herself to shield her face with one arm. Akiko fired the ball as a massive beam and it hurtled towards Yumi. "Incredible..." It was the only thought running through her mind, even as the beam came at her. Even in the intense light, her eyes could only soften. She didn't bring her arms up to block the attack, for it would've done no good. She only closed her eyes, and allowed darkness to seep her vision... ...before the beam finally ran into her body, and she found herself unable to open her eyes anymore. Okita vs Ahatake: Part 2 - Emotions Ahatake clenched his arm. He was badly bruised by Okita's sword and losing blood fast. While he had suffered his own minor wounds in return, Okita still looked relatively fit for further combat. He had his sword over his shoulder, looking at the Tenno with squinted eyes and his smile. He looked relatively relaxed as he looked at his opponent with serenity. However, when he spoke, his tone was slightly irritated, and even a bit angered. "You are starting to annoy me, Tenko-sama." He said, eyes half-lidding. "All of those blows I gave to you, and you still are standing? Your body will fall apart under the strain. I just don't understand why you can't simply give up..." "I need to kill Tenko." Ahatake replied. "And I won't stop until he's dead." Ahatake reached down to his ankles and took off his weights. "It's about time I upped the ante." He dropped the weights, and they left their usual crater in the ground. He clenched his blade and it flashed orange. "I'd prefer not to reveal everything I have in store for Tenko, considering he could be watching this battle." Ahatake kept on talking. "He's the main attraction, you're just a side show." "Main attraction? Side show? Surely, you can't think this is a simple circus." Okita chided, lowering his head a little. "But, if that's how you feel about it... I have no choice. One step." FWOOM! Within the next second, he was off again, figure vanishing into a faster speed than before. But Ahatake was moving faster as well and he didn't intend to be outdone by Okita. He jumped up into the air and began to swing his blade around, sending waves of cutting chakra in varying directions. After the last one was unleashed and had separated themselves a distance from Ahatake, their target appeared - once again, behind Ahatake. This time, his eyes were shadowed over, sword readied to swing in one hand. "If your eyes couldn't pick up my speed before..." He asked accusingly, swinging his blade upwards at Ahatake's back. "Then how do you expect to keep up with me, now that I have only one step left?!" A slashing noise was heard, along with the squelching of solid on liquid. The sword had pierced Ahatake, but it had missed his back. Ahatake had redirected it to his own hand and the blade was firm in his grip. "H...how...?!" Pure surprise appeared on Okita's face, as he stared at the pierced hand in astonishment. Gritting his teeth, he attempted to push against the hand, attempting to overpower the Tenno. But, it was to no avail - his strength was too much. Something blue and swirling was forming on Ahatake's palm but it was moving to fast to be completely visible. "Take this!" He cried. "Yondaime's Special Ninjutsu!" He slammed the swirling orb into Okita's midsection, not calling out it's name. Flashes appeared in Okita's mind, even as the sphere slammed into him. He could see it clearly - his own blade raising up to kill several ANBU. His own hand that had buried his mutilated parents after those frightening ninja had destroyed their home and his family. He could hear their voices, ringing constantly inside of his head in a mangled tone. WHAM! When he was thrown away, he slammed into the wall and slid down into an ungraceful sitting position. In pain, he breathed, eyes open and unfocused on the ground. Ahatake sighed... ---- His father standing there, with a swirling blue orb in his hand. "Alright kid, this is the new Jutsu I am going to teach you. It's an original jutsu I learned from a man who traveled with the Fourth Hokage. It's an "A" Rank Jutsu. One rank down from "S"." ''"What's it called?" Ahatake asked. "Rasengan. Spiral Chakra Sphere." ---- Even through his intense pain, Okita could still hear the voice of his father. He could see it clearly now, even with his deadened eyes. It had been an afternoon, with his own father in front of him. A sheathed sword was in his hands, and he appeared to be giving it to his young son who was gaping in astonishment. "Tou-san? You're giving me?" "I have no use for this anymore. I'm putting it in your hands..." Tou-san said firmly, giving a good-hearted smile. "Take care of it... it holds the family's heart within it." Slowly, the young boy took the blade with hesitant hands, gazing at it with eagerness. "Always remember, kid..." Okita's heart quickened. "When you fight with that sword, the past generations that have used it will be smiling down on you. When your mother and I finally go to heaven, we'll be smiling on you, too. We'll always be with you..." His pupils shrank, as his father's voice spoke the words. "Forever." "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Without hesitation, and without concern for his opponent, Okita let out a loud, raw scream, straight from his heart. Abruptly standing up, he clutched his head with both hands, continuing to scream in grief and anger. He staggered like a drunk, attempting to gain control over his motor abilities. But he fell to his knees, every single emotion he had surpressed rising to the surface. Ahatake gasped. "What..what the hell was that?" He fumbled in his pocket and took out a blood clotting and restoration pill. "Damn.." He fell to his knees, hands falling in front of him and balling to his fists. For a moment, he appeared to be truly crying, sobbing noises coming from his throat. He shook his lowered head over and over, as if trying to will both the physical and mental pain away. But, then, he stopped. He turned his head slowly to stare at Ahatake. But his expression of cheer was gone, replaced by something someone would never expect from the boy. Anger. His eyes were narrowed and widened, and his teeth were gritted into a feral snarl. "I've had enough of this...!!" He snapped, bringing himself up to his feet. "You've remained alive for far too long, you sickly bird... It's about time someone clipped your wings!!" With his remaining strength, he grabbed his sword and sheathed it. "I'll kill you... for making me remember." He said lowly, expression now set in a cold and stoic stare. "That expression is a hell of a lot better than your smile." Ahatake replied, bracing himself. "But you'll never clip my wings." One final attack. That was all the strength his body could be used for. And he had settled on what had worked to injure his opponent those times before: Battōjutsu: Shuntensatsu. His hand was pressed onto the hilt and at the ready. "Prepare yourself, Tenko-sama." Ahatake formed the seal of the snake. "Earth Release: Earth Spear" His skin became a dark brown, blackish color and he readied himself. "No more steps. This is the true shukuchi''." With that statement, he took off for one final time, sword grasped tightly. True to his word, as soon as he executed it, he was invisible to the human eye. He was combining his maximum speed with the Shuntensatsu. It would make for devestating cutting power when he unleashed it. The only question left was: would it penetrate Ahatake's armor? Only one way to find out. His blade swung upwards, as it was pulled from its sheath... Ahatake braced himself for the hit. SLASH! When the attack was finished, Okita had finished his strike, his figure now behind Ahatake. His sword was up in the air, gleaming in the dim light of the room. His eyes were shadowed over, and there was a tense moment of silence. Then, he coughed up blood, his hand opening to drop his sword. Upon contact with the floor, the blade that he had treasured shattered into pieces. He felt his heart slowing down, darkness overcoming his vision. His nervous system was becoming rapidly numb, and he couldn't even maintain his balance any more. A smile, this time a natural one, formed on his face, along with tears streaming down his face. Even as he fell to the ground, he thought only one thing: "Kaa-san...Tou-san... I'll be there. I'll stay with you..." With dignity, he surrendered to the darkness. "Forever." Gohan vs Michiyo Gohan was sitting in a far off room reading a book. He wasn't off duty, but he preferred if the person who wanted to fight him was tired. That was when the doors to his room swung open. The figure of Michiyo appeared, eyes narrowed, and a faint frown on her countenance. Like a sheriff walking into a bar, she stepped inside and pushed the doors closed. "You did say we would meet again..." She commented coolly, her gaze on him. He looked up from his book. "Oh hello again." He said, closing it. It was entitled Breaking Dawn. "I take it you're here to fight me?" She nodded. "And I don't intend to hold back." She added, her fists clenching and releasing in small exercise. "So it would be a pity if you did." "Can't even read a good book around here anymore." Gohan grumbled, standing up. Without further word, Michiyo settled into her own stance. Her right forearm was parallel to the ground, and her other arm was raised over her head. It was similar to the Gentle Fist: 64 Palms technique, only that the arms were bent at a certain rate. "For Kaa-san..." She thought, coiling her legs before throwing herself at Gohan, fist prepared and clenched. Her leg strength enough to cover the distance between them in seconds, she threw that fist right at his face. He caught the blow and pulled her towards him. "You're alot like your mother in some ways." He said and he sank his free fist into her stomach. Of course, the blow caused her eyes to widen, and she expelled the air from her lungs involuntary. Painfully gasping, she used her free hand to grab the wrist buried into her stomach. "Am I...?" She asked, putting on a smirk. "Then you should recognize this..." Then, her hand glowed blue, and her chakra went from her to him. It was the same manner as his mother's; it attacked the nervous system, filling his senses with overwhelming pain. It wasn't as strong as Chikai's however and it made it easier to resist. He pressed a finger to his arm and channeled his own electricity into his body, completely blocking out her own chakra. "But you lack Chiaki's power." For a moment, Michiyo observed carefully, noting the skill he had displayed in chakra control. "He stopped my chakra with his own... interesting..." She thought in wonder. With her lungs full once again, she immediately jumped back to gain some distance. This was going to be a tough one. His hand crackled and a blade formed from it. "Come at me." With one of her hands, she reached into her kunai pouch and pulled it out, covering the entire hilt with her palm. She threw it into the air, raising both hands to execute a jutsu. "Fire Release: Phoenix Immortal Fire." She raised the Tiger seal to the side of her mouth, firing the bullets of flaming death at her target. He quickly slashed the fireballs to embers. "Not exactly what I had in mind." "Shadow Clone Technique." When the kunai finally descended from the sky, under the charisma of the jutsu, it immediately split into a hailstorm of falling knives. They descended upon him like bloody rain, while she moved forward briskly, already executing another set of seals. "Lightning Release: Encasing Aura!" Lightning expelled from his body and formed a large dome, deflecting every weapon thrown. When it happened, she stopped, lowering her hands to her side once more. A small grin crawled on her face, before she whispered one word: "Boom." Then, the scattered kunai around Gohan abruptly exploded, enveloping him in the blaze of fire, heat, and shockwaves. "There's no denying it now... this was the soldier who had defeated my mother..." She concluded, settling into a stance once more. The flames licked at the barrier that surrounded Gohan but they had not reached him. The barrier contracted for a moment, then shattered and created a massive wind that blew out the fire from the explosion. "You're quite the skilled one, aren't you?" Michiyo complimented, raising herself to a standing position. Her eyes continued to study him intensely. "No wonder Kaa-san had so much trouble with you." Gohan pretended to take a bow. "Why Thank you." Taking in her breath, Michiyo allowed herself to lunge forward once again, but this time threw a kick in his direction. Her full leg swung upwards, intending to break Gohan's neck upon contact. But Gohan blocked it with his own kick and a the ground cracked from their resulting energies. Yumi vs Akiko: Aftermath The girl's hands immediately glew red as her tails and chakra cloak dissapeared. She ran over to Yumi, who lay defeated from her last attack and she began to heal the girl's outer and internal wounds. "She should be alive." Akiko thought as he chakra went to work. "I only packed enough power in their to knock her out." "Y...you're making a.... mistake. You should be finishing me off..." The girl's weakened voice called out to her, even through the intense pain that was slowly starting to fade. She coughed immediately afterwards, her lungs too torn to speak. "Why are you...?" "I told you before." Akiko replied. "I can't kill you, because I could never live with myself if I could. I love you, Yumi, and even if you don't return my feelings, I'd still rather keep you alive." "How do you expect to get to Tenko-sama, then...?" Yumi hissed weakly, turning her head to the side and shutting her eyes. "I made it specifically for that very reason...for Tenko-sama's subordinates to die under his service...." "Never underestimate the power of a Jinchuuriki." Akiko replied, moving her hand to Yumi's chest so the healing of her lungs could begin. "I'll just use the full Nine-Tailed Power to bust hat door down." A sudden wave of emotion overwhelmed her, and she jerked her head a little so that her hair would fall over her eyes. "Do you think I'll forgive you for this...?" She asked quietly, though her voice held disdain in it. "To defeat me...then leave me alive...?! What you're doing is taking the chance of honorable death away from me...!" "That attack wouldn't have killed you anyway!" Akiko snapped. "So stop whining. If you get back up and fight me again, I'll just knock you right back down!" GRIP! Yumi's rage finally snapped. With her nearest hand, she grabbed her medic by the collar and jerked her closer, narrowed eyes widened and a snarl decorating her features. "You bitch!" She spat. "A soldier is supposed to fight and die under their leader and by their enemies' hand, not healed by it! By doing this, you're practically spitting on my face, and that's something I cannot tolerate. I swear to Kami, Akiko, you will d--" Immediately, however, there was a sudden surge that pumped through her stomach. Covering her mouth and turning to the side, she let out a fit of coughs. The blood between her fingers signaled that she had exerted herself too soon. Nevertheless, her words were clear as day. "I swear to Kami... I will kill you..." The coldness in Yumi's voice was now apparent, though her blazing rage had subsided. With one of her arms mostly healed now, she raised her hand and covered the right side of her face. The other half's eyes were narrowed and glaring at the Tenno. The look on Akiko's face would have made the coldest person in the world feel pity on her. "I'm..I didn't do this to offend you Yumi.." She said nervously. "I felt compelled to heal you, but I didn't expect it to make you furious.." The look in her eyes made Yumi's fury waver, along with her eyes. Then, she turned her head away once again, closing her eyes. "Whatever. Are you done yet?" "In a moment." Akiko replied. "Why are you so anxious to die?" She asked. "If I was dead, I'd want every Medic-Nin in Konoha jumping up and down on my chest." "It's....complex." "Would you be willing to explain it to me?" Akiko asked. "Or is that asking too much?" "It's not." Yumi took in a deep breath in order to begin. "It's all due to the thing called religion. Such a thing has clashed with aspects like science and logic long before our time. The fact of the after-life has been plaguing me for quite some time, and I always wondered what it would be like to stand amongst the fallen. Compared to this... material life, I'd be much happier there, whether it be Heaven or Hell." She chuckled. "Though, I do hope I end up in Heaven. Much nicer than burning in the red Amaterasu..." Akiko's eyes widened. "I see..but wouldn't you rather make the most of the time you're given?" She looked hopeful. Yumi looked a bit sullen at that. "My friends and family are dead now, and my only bonds are with Tenko-sama. When he is killed, what else will I have? He showed me meaning to my life..." "You could always come with us.." Akiko said, her voice slightly quiet as if she was nervous to hear the answer no. "Onii-san can pull a few strings to make sure the ANBU doesn't arrest you.." "..." Although she was silent, her eyes fell into consideration, before falling on Akiko once more. "And Okita-san? What of him?" "Well now that Ahatake-nii knows that Okita was only ordered to kill his comrades, he might be a little more lenient." Akiko replied truthfully. "And if not, I'll have Tou-san force him to let him come along. Tou-san gives me anything." A small smile came across Yumi's face at that moment. "That's good to hear. It'd be bad if he died..." Okita vs Ahatake: Aftermath Ahatake was panting. Unless he was mistaken, Okita was down. Ahatake looked suspicious. Was he faking it? There was no movement. There was no rising and falling of his chest. His eyes had gone blank, and there was a bit of blood oozing from his mouth. Faking something such as a death like this would've required a medic-nin to do so. Ahatake walked over to him and checked for a pulse. Buh-beat. It was faint. But a pulse was clearly there, signaling his heart was still beating. Despite that state, it obviously meant that he was still alive, but simply unconscious. Ahatake sighed. "Good he's alive." He summoned a phoenix, and it screeched loudly. Anyone who didn't know they were there at that time would have known now. "Sirius.. heal him.." Ahatake ordered and the Phoenix covered the blue-haired man in his feathers. It was a slow effect. But the internal injuries that the Tenno had afflicted on Okita had healed, tissue restoring, and heartbeat quickening to a regular pace. His eyes, filled with life once again, widened in surprise. Slowly, he pulled himself to a crouching position, a headache going through his skull as soon as he did so. "Ugh..." "Yo." Ahatake greeted him. "T...Tenko-sama?" Slowly, Okita turned his head towards him with an astonished expression. "W...did you heal me? I...I thought for sure I was dead..." Ahatake shook his head. "No. I don't have anything against you anymore, Okita, so I'm not here to kill you." Slowly, Okita stood up, his eyes falling onto his shattered blade. "Why did you spare me? I told you before, the only way to unlock Tenko-sama's room..." He trailed off. "We'll blast this place to shreds to get to him." Ahatake replied. "We don't intend to kill whoever stands in our way...well I'' don't. Akiko and Michiyo are a different story." That made Okita fold his arms across his chest and give a wondering look. "You do realize... by sparing me, you're giving Tenko-sama's plans a chance?" He questioned, tilting his head to the side inquisitively. "You do realize this blade is heavy enough to knock you unconscious?" Ahatake said, holding it up so it gleamed threateningly. "You wouldn't." "I would." Ahatake replied. "I said I wouldn't kill you, I never said I wouldn't knock you unconscious and use you as a battering ram." "I'm not so weak as to let my enemy trample me. Or, did our fight make you forget your wounds?" Okita questioned logically, walking over to the broken blade and kneeling. A frown crossed his face at the damage. ''"Guess I'll have to get a new sword... this one's done its duty..." He lamented. Sirius trilled for a moment and swooped over Ahatake, healing his wounds with it's feather's as well. "I believe you mentioned wounds?" Okita shook his head sagely. "No, Tenno-sama. I meant that I had inflicted them on you in the first place. You defeated me, but that doesn't mean you have the power to walk on me. I can still fight back...even if my blade's been shattered." "I told you, I'm not here for you." Ahatake replied. "I'm here to fight Tenko. There are too many events in my life that he's connected to. The murder of my friends, murder of my wife. Before I kill him, I'm going to find out if he's the one who killed my mother." Ahatake wrapped his sword back in cloth. "I'm here for answers as well as revenge." Okita resisted the urge to sweatdrop right then. "That's not my point-- Oh, forget it..." He sighed heavily, putting a hand to his forehead. "As for your mother, it depends on who she was and how she died." "You wouldn't know." Ahatake replied. "You weren't even born then." "You are being rather difficult..." Okita chided, frowning in disdain. "Besides, it's not like I'm unable to learn about such events. Tenko-sama might've even told me himself, have you considered that?" Ahatake sighed. "Her name was Megami Tenno." He said, his eyes shadowing over by his hair. "The most beautiful and powerful female Tenno to ever have been in out clan." "Go on..." "I was five." Ahatake replied. "It's hard to remember, but she died protecting Akiko, who was just a baby, and myself at the time. I don't remember from what. It's a blur.." "...the Nine-Tailed Fox resides within your sister. Am I correct?" Okita guessed. "Correct." Ahatake replied. "Then..." Okita closed his eyes in thought. "My guess is that Tenko-sama was confirming the residents of the Kyuubi within your sister and confronted your mother. Whether they battled or not isn't of my knowledge... but if your apprehension is right, that would be evidence on which he killed Megami-sama." "Then my Zanken will live up to it's name today." Ahatake replied. Okita opened his eyes once more, nodding. "If you're going at all, go quickly! He's waiting for you." He suggested. Ahatake nodded. "You know Okita, if I make it out of this alive, I'd like to fight you again." A smile graced the Soujirou's lips. But, this time, it lacked the falseness that he had held before - now that his emotions had returned to him, it was much warmer than before. He was showing his good heart. "It'd be an honor, Tenko-sama." Ahatake grinned and proceed towards Tenko's door. ---- Gohan was standing upside down from the roof, panting slightly. He looked exhausted, and was slightly cut off, but Michiyo was no better off. In fact, she was a bit worse. Bits of her clothing were torn, and her skin was a partial plethora of burns and bruises. As much as she attempted to stand straight, the rising and falling of her chest signaled that she, too, was exerted of most of her energy. A trickle of blood from a blow he had dealt to her jaw trickled down the corner of her mouth. And at the moment, she was very frustrated. She had taken a month to hone her skills in order to combat and defeat such an opponent. Yet, whatever blow that she threw was easily thwarted, and her techniques were almost always cancelled out by his. She was getting nowhere.... fast. Gohan grinned, looking down at her. "Ya know, you're pretty good. Still not on your mother's level but you're not bad!" "Not on my mother's level?!" At the statement, she clenched her fists. Now it was getting clear - she was nowhere near her opponent's strength. If her mother, who was clearly stronger, was defeated, then what chance did she have? None. She was just. Too. Weak. "Hey I have a request from you Michiyo." "What is it?" She asked, careful to keep her emotions in check. "Well, I don't really intend to kill you," Gohan began slowly, jumping down so he could see Michiyo better. "I was hoping you'd go out on a date with me." He finished cheerfully. It took only five seconds for Michiyo to register the statement fully. And when she did... "W...what?!" ...she was obviously surprised, needless to say. "Will you go out with me?" Gohan replied slowly. A slight blush spread across the woman's cheeks, and her anger was temporarily lost. "You have some nerve, asking your enemy out on a date..." She stated calmly. "But since I doubt it'll hurt...sure." She used a light shrug to emphasize. "I accept." Gohan grinned. "Alright!" He quickly formed seals and closed his eyes. "Well good news, no one is dead, but Yumi's chakra levels are particularly low." "Even Okita...?" Resentment was slight in Michiyo's tone, and she frowned slightly, folding her arms across her chest. "I was sure that Okita was going to die.." "Okita's alive too." Gohan replied. "He didn't kill your mother because he wanted to. He was ordered." "..." Although Michiyo didn't say anything to that in reply, she didn't seem to be denying it either, her expression not having changed much. She turned her glance towards the door, her chakra senses also kicking in. Gohan was telling the truth - everyone was intact, and the Murakami's chakra was quite low. At least she could tell that Akiko had defeated her... "Knowing your aunt, Yumi is probably being healed as we speak." "I realize that. Akiko is quite caring towards the girl." "Well, I think we have a fight to watch." Gohan said. "Tenno should be on his way to Tenko." A small smirk graced Michiyo's lips. "I wonder what the Fox'll think when he sees there haven't been casualties in the combat?" She wondered, walking towards the door which led to the exit. "I'd like to see a shocked expression for once." Fox and the Phoenix: Part 2; My Answers Ahatake stopped right at the door. He pressed his hand to it and received a short shock. "What the?" At that moment, Michiyo came up beside him, arms folded across her chest, and a calm expression on her face. "The Murakami put a seal on this door, remember? So we'll have to wait for Akiko to get here..." She reminded, eyes turning behind her. "Of course." Ahatake sighed. "Tou-san... there was no reason you should've spared Okita." Michiyo's voice was solemn. "Although he was under orders, his blade still killed Kaa-san nonetheless. He followed such without question, didn't he? So that couldn't have meant he was reluctant to..." Ahatake raised a hand to silence her. "Tenko is the object of my vengeance. Okita has been redeemed." "..." Michiyo's eyes narrowed, and she turned her head away from him, closing her eyes.